Sexual Abuse Case: Prajwal Revanna in SIT Custody for a Week

Bengaluru: A Bengaluru court on Friday remanded suspended JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna to police custody till June 6 over allegations of rape and exploitation of several women, among other charges against him.

The Hassan MP was arrested by the CID’s special investigation team (SIT) in the wee hours of Friday after his arrival from Germany. He had fled the country on April 27, after allegations of his alleged involvement in rapes and sexual exploitation of several women surfaced.

After his arrest, Mr Revanna was produced before the court after the medical examination at the Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital. Bengaluru’s 42nd additional chief metropolitan magistrate K.N. Shivakumat heard the remand application and objection argument from Mr Revanna's advocate and remanded him to police custody.

Special public prosecutor Ashok Naik argued on behalf of SIT and sought 14 days of police custody.

Prajwal's advocate Arun G. said there were no rape charges in the initial FIR filed against his client until May 5, and police custody is not recommended.

Mr Naik objected to this and said there were several pieces of evidence against Mr Revanna and demanded police custody.

The Hassan MP’s advocate, in his final submission, said that one day of police custody is enough for the interrogation and requested the court not to remand him for more than a day.

After hearing arguments from both sides, Mr Shivakumar reserved the order and after an hour's break, remanded Mr Revanna to police custody.

Briefing the media, Mr Revanna’s advocate said that the JD(S) MP has been arrested over a complaint lodged by a woman in Holenarsipura town police station in Hassan, wherein she alleged rape.

Mr Arun said that Mr Revanna’s arrest has been done as per the standard operating procedure. On his arrival at the airport, he was detained first by immigration centre officials, who later handed him over to the SIT.

“I met Mr Revanna in SIT custody. He is willing to cooperate with the SIT in the investigation,” said the advocate.

Meanwhile, the SIT moved the Karnataka high court to seek cancellation of bail for Mr Revanna's father and Holenarasipura JD(S) MLA H.D. Revanna in a kidnapping case.

A single bench headed by Justice Krishna Dixit adjourned the matter till Monday.

The session court had granted bail to H.D. Revanna. The case pertains to kidnapping a woman from K.R. Nagar, where he is an accused and is out on bail.